Rebecca Moynihan (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will direct my questions at the representatives of both Limerick and Waterford councils if that is okay. I will indicate to whom I am addressing the question.

As regards Waterford, the massive increase in rents in the area in recent years has been striking. In places such as Dunmore East, which was just mentioned, rents have doubled. Many of the areas are already in an RPZ but has Waterford City and County Council engaged with landlords in those areas in respect of purchases under the tenant in situscheme if people are on HAP? Has it engaged to extend further rent pressure zones into other parts of Waterford?

As regards Limerick, I note that the 17 ha is on the low end of public housing that is being developed. In particular, the LDA is in the middle of developing the Guinness site in central Limerick. It is master planning for 2026, which seems very far out. We need to impress on the LDA the urgency of developing those sites in Limerick.

As regards the derelict and vacant sites register, has Limerick City and County Council identified large-scale sites in Limerick in respect of which it might issue compulsory purchase orders, CPOs? Such sites may be ones on the register or that have not had planning permissions commenced.

Both councils referred to the Croí Cónaithe scheme in the context of activating city and town centre areas. Are there large apartment development projects in Limerick or Waterford that will potentially avail of the Croí Cónaithe scheme? If so, how are those projects progressing?

Finally, I have asked each of the local authorities that have appeared before the committee about the tenant in situ scheme for 2022. It is a difficult thing to get one's head around as we do not know how many evictions are being served. They often come quite late to the local authority and the eviction ban is obviously going to impact that. What difficulties have the councils faced in the context of the tenant in situscheme? Has it been not fitting in with the policies? Is it that the properties are not appropriate to purchase? What are the reasons for that? Where can we cut through the red tape in the context of purchasing properties with a tenant in situ?